Shadow Systems are a nice upgraded Glock IMHO.

 

Any one else a fan of these pistols?

Yep, from Feb 2020 to Mar 2022 a MR918 was my primary carry gun. (I have owned three MR918s, a MR920 and a CR920). Good pistols.

In May of 2022, I reverted back to the Glock 19, this time a Wilson Combat Vickers Elite Gen 5 19. (Have two now). They have been my EDC gun since then.

I sold my CR920 to a friend who is now carrying it. He really likes it.

 

I have a DR920P

Nice pistol

 

I carry my SS MR920 Combat almost daily.

 

You’ve made Gaston sad today.

 

 

A friend of mine in CO has a Wilson Glock19 and a Shadow systems DR920 and a Glock19.4 with a Timney trigger. I do not have a Shadow systems gun, and have never shot one (I had heard great things about them though).
The first thing he did when he bought the Shadow systems gun was go out and shoot it and it jammed on him about 1:10 rounds. He called Shadow systems and spoke to the LGS (where he bought it) and they were very adamant that he had to run 200 rounds through it "before it would function reliably". So he kept shooting it and noticed the coating on the barrel was being scraped off. He called them again and they sent him a new barrel free of charge. He installed it and headed to the range.
He shot about 100 rounds through it and took it apart and cleaned it. No Jams and no barrel coating damage. He liked it>
He took it out last week and it jammed 1:20 rounds right off. He could pop the back of the slide and it would feed and he could continue. He shot 150 rounds and no change, it continued to jam. He took it apart, no apparent problems, cleaned it, oiled it and went out again over the weekend with the same result. The LGS sold him some type of lubricant and Shadow Systems told him to send the gun in for them to take a look at it.
He loves the Wilson, and his gen4 19. He has never had a failure to feed with either of them (nor have I had any failures with any of my Glocks). He is really disappointed in the Shadow Systems, and while he is pretty confident they will fix whatever is wrong with it, he does not like the 4 to 6 week turnaround time he was promised. He started competing in some local club matches and the Shadow Systems weapon was bought specifically to run those matches.
I have shot a couple of Zev's guns and they seem nice, but they do not feel different or perform better than the 100% reliability of the Glocks I have. I understand the grip on the Shadow systems is different than Glock (angle) and my friend really likes the feel of it. But as for me, on my Glocks, I have changed the sights, changed the triggers, lapped the slide rails and mounted an RMR on my G45 - 100% reliable and seem to run as smooth as a striker fired can so while the rep for the Shadow systems gun is good over all, is it really that much better than G45.5 with new sights and RMR? I do not expect it to be STI smooth, but my guns seem to run pretty darn smooth...so what is "better" about the Shadow Systems guns (or the Zev for that matter) that I am missing?

 

A friend of mine in CO has a Wilson Glock19 and a Shadow systems DR920 and a Glock19.4 with a Timney trigger. I do not have a Shadow systems gun, and have never shot one (I had heard great things about them though).
The first thing he did when he bought the Shadow systems gun was go out and shoot it and it jammed on him about 1:10 rounds. He called Shadow systems and spoke to the LGS (where he bought it) and they were very adamant that he had to run 200 rounds through it "before it would function reliably". So he kept shooting it and noticed the coating on the barrel was being scraped off. He called them again and they sent him a new barrel free of charge. He installed it and headed to the range.
He shot about 100 rounds through it and took it apart and cleaned it. No Jams and no barrel coating damage. He liked it>
He took it out last week and it jammed 1:20 rounds right off. He could pop the back of the slide and it would feed and he could continue. He shot 150 rounds and no change, it continued to jam. He took it apart, no apparent problems, cleaned it, oiled it and went out again over the weekend with the same result. The LGS sold him some type of lubricant and Shadow Systems told him to send the gun in for them to take a look at it.
He loves the Wilson, and his gen4 19. He has never had a failure to feed with either of them (nor have I had any failures with any of my Glocks). He is really disappointed in the Shadow Systems, and while he is pretty confident they will fix whatever is wrong with it, he does not like the 4 to 6 week turnaround time he was promised. He started competing in some local club matches and the Shadow Systems weapon was bought specifically to run those matches.
I have shot a couple of Zev's guns and they seem nice, but they do not feel different or perform better than the 100% reliability of the Glocks I have. I understand the grip on the Shadow systems is different than Glock (angle) and my friend really likes the feel of it. But as for me, on my Glocks, I have changed the sights, changed the triggers, lapped the slide rails and mounted an RMR on my G45 - 100% reliable and seem to run as smooth as a striker fired can so while the rep for the Shadow systems gun is good over all, is it really that much better than G45.5 with new sights and RMR? I do not expect it to be STI smooth, but my guns seem to run pretty darn smooth...so what is "better" about the Shadow Systems guns (or the Zev for that matter) that I am missing?

The Shadow systems is basically a Glock. Crack it open and it is identically to a Glock inside. Probably a Gen 3. If your friend is having all these problems ( note you did not say say if your friend tried different ammo or a different magazine when he was shooting the pistol - I had the same problem with my Zev; however, when I switched to a Glock manufactured magazine the problem disappeared completely). Of course even Glock turns out the occasional lemon. There is nothing that Shadow System has done that Glock cannot do - it just will not. First the Shadow systems comes with a Holosun sight ( no need for a plate), second the trigger guard is nicely under cut, third it has beavertail that allows a higher grip, fourth it has a flat trigger, and fifth it has a very nice rtf. Let us know how your friend makes out with his Shadow systems.
The Zev has more of a 1911 slant to its grip and a high beavertail. It comes apart like the Sig 320 and uses Glock Mags, Glock sights, and Comes MOS ( no plates needed). It is truly a unique pistol. I have to say I hated the trigger and had to replace it since it was sticking my finger. It absorbs recoil better than any pistol I have tried and allows you to shoot faster ( got to Outlaw on u tube). If you could not tell the difference between it and your Glocks good for you. I can. , .

 

If you get a good one they are really nice pistols.

 

I’ve always heard use OEM mags in my Glocks and I like to use OEM Glocks with my Glock mags.
I’ve only shot one Shadow Systems gun; it was when the first came out and it belonged to a guy that used to have Glocks and “upgraded” because he heard the Shadow System guns were more accurate. Turns out it was the shooter because he shot the same way with his Shadow System as he did with his Glock.

To me it seemed like a Glock with an odd feeling grip and it had an ugly trigger guard. Perhaps I missed something but I never had the urge to buy one.

 

I have a XR920 and a MR920 both over 2k. I am a Glock fan but do like the SS much more. It's the grip for me. Very natural and comfortable. Accuracy is excellent. My XR920 has shot everything from day 1 including break-in. I didn't think I'd like the fluted barrels but I do. I do not like the bronze TiN barrels just not wanting the color. I like the black.

My MR920 did not malfunction for over 1k rounds (including break in). I started dropping magazines and it was easy to see it was the mag catch. Bad batch from the factory. SS sent me 2 new ones they assured me had a higher % of resin or polymer? Not positive what they stated. New one has been spot on.

I'm running MagPul, Glock OEM, and Glock OEM with Tyrant extensions in both of them with no issues. The XR920 has become my favorite gun for 2023. Mine has been reliable as Glock, accurate, lighter, and just better feel in the hand. I never thought I'd like the textured ledges on the frame but I do and I use em.

I love the factory sites as well. They just work in a really smooth manner. The optic cut is from heaven IMO. Puts the dot (I have a Holoson 507c on XR and 507k on MR) in the ideal low mount.

My experience with SHadow has been a really good one. Enough I have a CR920 (43X clone) awaiting pickup at the LGS. They had some growing pains upon release but they seem to have it dialed in now. I'll report on mine when I get 1k or so down the tube.

Here is a pic of the old mag release. Clearly a dud as this was at about 2k round mark. Replacement has that nice comforting audible "click" sound.

 

I have a few Glocks, 19/20/21/26/29/42/44, but I thought the SS looked cool and had optics cuts so I wanted to try them.

I have both the MR/CR 920's, after swapping over to an Overwatch Precision minus connector that was NP3'd, they are my favorite guns to shoot. I like them so much I now carry the CR (13+1) with an EPS carry 6moa green dot, they both have over 500 rounds without a hiccup and that will only continue to go up since they are so much fun to shoot.

 

I've been wanting a 19X. Would I enjoy the Shadow pistol more? Either would be a range toy. Probably toss a threaded barrel in there so I can put my can on it.

 

I had a MR918 and loved it. I thought I upgraded when I got the MR920. While I still like the MR920, I miss the 918. While Shadow Systems pistols are what many others strive to become, I think the original MR918 is the best.

 

I have a SS MR920 and several Glocks. The trigger on my MR920 is about equal to the Glock triggers. Everything else about the MR920 is better. I carry it almost every day.

 

IMHO, the Shadow Systems pistols can be a great Glock alternative. To me they feel noticeably better in the hand with a better grip angle that is more natural and comes up on target better, better grip texturing, undercut trigger guard (no more Glock knuckle), they have a lower and more secure optic mounting system and once their triggers break in most of them have a decent carry / street trigger. Most of them have accuracy comparable to a Gen 5 Glock 9mm. The slide to barrel fit is tight and they tell you up front that a 200 rd break in might be needed before you should expect 100% reliability ( it usually means the slide going all the way back into battery). This company has grown really fast and in the last few years and I think their overall quality and customer service has slipped a little. IMHO, I believe Glock pistols are still overall consistently more reliable gun to gun because of their overall better quality control and you have less of a chance of getting a new gun that needs to be sent back for whatever reason. Shadow Systems has also came out with their less costly Foundation Series pistols in the last 6 months.

 

So I’m a Glock fanatic. Just love them and have carried them daily for over 25 years.
I have been thinking of buying a Shadow Systems
920L and a XR920P. I have some questions because no gunshops carry these around me that I have found…
Are the Shadow triggers any better than a Glock? Their web site said 4-5lbs.. that’s where Glocks are at. Will any Glock part fit the shadows? Can you lighten these triggers any more ? Lastly what do these do that a Glock won’t ?
I like the looks of the two pistols I mentioned and like the videos I’ve seen. But was hoping for some answers here. Thanks.

 

So I’m a Glock fanatic. Just love them and have carried them daily for over 25 years.
I have been thinking of buying a Shadow Systems
920L and a XR920P. I have some questions because no gunshops carry these around me that I have found…
Are the Shadow triggers any better than a Glock? Their web site said 4-5lbs.. that’s where Glocks are at. Will any Glock part fit the shadows? Can you lighten these triggers any more ? Lastly what do these do that a Glock won’t ?
I like the looks of the two pistols I mentioned and like the videos I’ve seen. But was hoping for some answers here. Thanks.

The SS stock triggers are nothing to write home about. I much prefer my Zev OZ9 triggers.

 

The SS guns are good shooters but as mentioned above—triggers are not that great. One can get used to triggers though if happy with the gun.

 

I have the Shadow Systems MR920 Combat. Internally its basically a Gen 3 Glock. I got a great deal on it used (only 50 rounds through it previously). I have to say its a favorite of mine. I've taken it to class and have fired hundreds of rounds through it. Not one hiccup. I like carrying it in my EDC rotation. What I really also like is the guarantee by Shadow Systems where if its involved in a legitimate defensive shooting and it gets confiscated by the cops, Shadow Systems will replace your gun free of charge.

 

I have CR920, MR920, XR920 and DR920. All but the MR920 triggers are to me a tad better than Glock Gen3,4. The DR920 came with a softer trigger and I didn't like it so changed it out. If you think of buying a SS for the trigger you got it wrong and save your coin. The rest of the 920 line, IMO is better than Glock by a bit in just about every way. BUT we aren't moving mountains, it is still a Glock with a lot of the items I would incorporate if I were designing it. To me the grip is excellent and I really love the Gen5 Glock grips. That says a lot.

 

Well I did a thing. Couldn't let the thought of it go, so it finally came home with me.

TXPO

 

Well I did a thing. Couldn't let the thought of it go, so it finally came home with me.

TXPO

Nice!

 

Very nice. I just recently got the MR920 and CR920P. I've been pretty happy with them. Enjoy!

 

I'm not part of the original conversation, but my MR920 Combat has been perfect. I've been using original Glock mags as that's what I bought it with (bought it used), and as expected there's been no issues at all. I can do a mag dump with mine covering a baseball at 7 yards and creating a rainbow of brass at the same time. Mine had a decent trigger but benefited from a little connector tuning. My only issue if I were looking at new is the price point. They're a little spendy although their Foundation series is priced similar to a comparable Glock.

 

Even though these are thought to be Glock clones they are not. They have similar designed but have been rebuilt from the ground up with premium materials and features. Yes things are interchangeable but the ergo, stippling, undercut trigger, support thumb stippling and the extended beaver tail aren’t things you can just upgrade your Glock to. The break on period is due to such tight precision if the gun. The factory is not going to fire hundreds of 124 grain to break it in before sale. It is an elite handgun and after it’s broken in can compete with the best. Just using the word Glock in comparison is unpalatable.

 

Same can be said for high end 1911 clones

 

The county Sheriff's office south of me is going to shadow systems to replace their sig 320s. The state academy / criminal justice training center has banned the 320 from being on the grounds (doesn't matter if on duty or not) and any state sanctioned training. Since all officers in the state are required to attend training every year to maintain their commission they have effectively banned sigs in the state for LE.

 

I’ve had this MR920 for a little over 2 years now and was my primary EDC for over a year. It was my first “not a Glock”, Glock.

It’s been great to me and didn’t require any “break in” time. I’ve run nothing but 115g training ammo and 124g HST’s in it.

I actually prefer shooting it to my 19.5 but I will say that I don’t have the same trust level as the Glock but not because it’s ever given me cause for concern.

 

I'm just amazed this thread originally started in early 2023, got revived a year later in Feb 2024, and now another revival a year later in Feb 2025.

Topic on hand, been a Glock shooter for 30 years.
Started tinkering with budget Glk clones the last few years.
Sometime in the Glk clone period, I got a SS XR920 Combat. Yes, it needed a break in of about 150rds or so to clear up the hiccups. Shot pretty good until about the 600 rd count. Then developed some hiccups again. Could have been ammo caused. The XR920 seemed to have gotten over the hiccups after a few more boxes.
Haven't shot it as much since then (too many other guns to shoot).
My SS XR920 is in my range toy category along with my other Glk clones.
One thing I do like about SS design is the optic mounting system. Very innovative and seems like a good design (although I don't have an optic on my SS)
Was contemplating getting a SS MR920, but for the price point, decided not to.

My HD or personal defense will be one of my Glocks (17/19/26/43x/48), one of those. Never had issues with the Glocks. They give me confidence the clones don't.